Gangtok, 24 Dec (IPR): Hon’ble Minister of Forest & Environment, Shri Karma Loday, flagged off a forest fire tender vehicle today at the Forest Secretariat premises, Deorali in the presence of Principal Secretary cum Principal Chief Conservator of Forests cum Chief Project Director, Shri M.L. Srivastava, IFS, Project Director, Sikkim Biodiversity Conservation & Forest Management Project, Shri N.W. Tamang, IFS, CCFs, CFs and other sectoral heads of the department.

It may be mentioned here, the new forest fire tender vehicle procured under JICA assisted SBFP has been allotted to South Territorial sector on a pilot basis keeping in view the frequent reports of forest fire cases in South district.

Hon’ble Minister Shri Karma Loday, in his address, said that the JICA funded fire tender vehicle will be provided to all four districts of the State phase-wise in order to augment field management during forest fire season. He added that since cases of forest fires are reported mostly in South district during dry winter season, the vehicle has been handed over to the district on a priority basis.

He stated that the utility vehicle provided will facilitate the department to attend to reports of forest fires immediately in a shorter period of time on narrow roads in remote forest areas. He further informed that the vehicle will also be utilized for watering avenue plantation in dry areas.

The Forest Minister handed over the documents along with the keys of the vehicle to Assistant Conservator of Forests (T), South.